COVID or not! CoI team says it will be back in August!
Sensitive or insensitive?
The CoI is adamant to continue, knowing fully well that it has been a burden on public officers and legislators at a time when the pandemic has hit the territory head-on, despite lone Commissioner Gary R. Hickinbottom claiming that he is sensitive to the VI’s COVID-19 situation.
There are currently over 1600 active cases and 23 confirmed COVID-19 related deaths in the Virgin Islands.
“Whilst the Commissioner is sensitive to the fact that the current COVID-19 situation in the BVI now makes it more difficult for some Government departments, it is vital that the material outstanding be provided as soon as possible to enable focused hearings to resume,” a press release from the Commission today, July 21, 2021, stated.
It should be noted that the CoI is only on a break because it claimed that they are still awaiting documents vital to the hearings to continue.
CoI team will be back in August
In what has been criticised as disrespectful and insensitive to the Government of the Virgin Islands which has been doing all in its power to facilitate the CoI, in his statement on June 2, 2021, the Commissioner claimed that, “given the history of inadequate and incomplete disclosure of documents” and to ensure properly focused hearings, he was making requests for corporate witness statements in relation to these topics.
“These requests were largely addressed to Ministers, but the Commissioner was content for a Minister to decide if a public officer should provide the statement in his or her stead. The Commissioner expected the Inquiry Response Unit (IRU) to assist in the preparation of these statements. Despite requests having been made weeks before the recent rise in COVID-19 cases and multiple extensions of deadlines, in substantial part these statements are still awaited,” the press release stated.
“The Commissioner and his team will be returning to the UK to continue the task of preparing for the forthcoming hearings. They will return to the BVI in late August to complete the hearings,” the Commission stated.
Fair for Gov’t to take a break from CoI?
There have been calls for the government to take a break from the CoI to concentrate its energies and resources towards tackling the dire COVID-19 situation.
Hypocritically, the UK Government has dodged a CoI into its own handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, citing it being an ill-opportune time due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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24 Responses to “COVID or not! CoI team says it will be back in August!”
These damn w**** rac***t the COI is who bringing in the COVID
We are all one people.
Set of ra***t oppressors who do not respect black lives the coi must go!
You maybe one of them.
Dem should de**
In the cruel battles of world war 2, many millioms of people died. By far, the greater number of those that died were white skin people. Because of their sacrificed, our lives lives have been spared. God bless white skin people. If He didn't, the covid-19 dearh number would not be 23, as of last report, many hundreds, posible thousands, in the B.V.I.
Singer Tima Turner sung a song titlied: "What love has to do with it?" Many of you do nof know. So allow me to inform you: love has everything to do wirh it, hate doesn't. Skin colour is not our enemy. Satan and his followers are. God is love.
Note: I am not begging for anyone approval of what I have written. What I havs written. I havs written.
…..they will not be back, set of rac**ts and devils…
The Commissioner is showing total disregard for the emotional pains of the people are experiencing It reminds me of the torture of the slaves and telling them to obey their masters. These are modern times and we will not subjugate ourselves to the slave master's descendants. I would prefer them to leave and don't return. Civil servants should show civil resistance. to the Commissioner of Inquiry.
This is why we are in the emotional state we are. Children have lost parents, parents have their children. People have lost their spouse or partner. We have lost our family member(s), friends and coworkers.
Despite our tears and sorrow right now for those who have died and are sick, life and usinesses will continue. No more wrong and strong. No more turning a blind eye to mismanagement and misappropriation of public funds the COI will continue.